1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to gas generator installation, and more particularly, to a gas generator installation with a pressurized fixed bed reactor, in which coal is gasified, and with an apparatus to clean the crude gas which is under high pressure.
For reasons of simplification, the two above-mentioned types of gas generators are lumped together and called pressurized reactors below.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inside the pressurized reactor, coal fines are gasified under high pressure. The gas produced in this manner can be used, for example, for the production of energy.
It is generally necessary to clean the gas coming out of the pressurized reactor, that is, specifically to free it from dust and tar. In addition, it is generally also necessary to adjust the output of the gas generator in question to the current gas requirement. The latter can change relatively more frequently and in a brief period of time so that it is appropriate if the gas generator is correspondingly adjustable.
If it is desirable to eliminate the inclusion of sufficiently large buffer capacities, as known in the prior art, between the gas generator and a downstream portion of the power plant, then the capacity of the gas generator and the corresponding capacity of the apparatus for the cleaning of the crude gas must be adjusted thereto.
To clean a crude gas, a so-called wet washing is generally used. A wet washing process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,502. However, this wet washing has the disadvantage that the crude gas, when discharged from the gas generator installation, has been, relatively speaking, cooled off a great deal by the washing. This cooling represents an energy loss which has a deleterious influence on the overall efficiency of a plant containing the gas generator installation.
The following patents describe and show some examples of fixed bed reactors for gasification of coal, which documents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,200 entitled "Process For The Production Of Fuel From Fine Coal For Coal Pressure Gasification In A Fixed Bed Reactor," and U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,004 entitled "Process For Forming Charging Fuel Into Agglomerates For The Pressure Gasification of Coal", and further U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,223,335; 2,707,148; 3,263,748; 3,310,836; 3,893,504; 4,033,730; 4,057,400 and Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 2629182.
The following patents describe and show some examples of fluidized bed reactors for gasification of coal, which documents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,963,598; 4,111,158; 4,343,246; 4,359,326; 4,475,467; and 4,476,790.
The gas discharged from the pressurized reactor must be cleaned, for example, specifically freed of dust and tar. The apparatus used for this purpose is generally a wet washer. The use of wet washing causes a reduction in the temperature of the gas and, therefore, a disadvantageous energy loss. As a result, the overall efficiency of the energy generation installation is reduced.
The following are examples of patents having cyclones, which documents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,358,624; 3,727,562; 4,051,791; 4,253,409 and United Kingdom Pat. No. 1289143.